After Devin Hester told the Tribune that a change of scenery could be a good thing, many wondered why the Bears receiver/return specialist would bypass a chance for a fresh start under a new coaching staff.
It's not that simple.
Coach Marc Trestman brings a new offensive philosophy to town, but Hester doesn't see himself fitting in. Why? The answer is simple: Hester and quarterback Jay Cutler aren't on the same page.
Former Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake explained it best last week.
"They need to sit down and get to know each other better, which I don't know if that will ever happen," Drake said. "I think it's both of them just being able to understand each other.
"Jay is a tough, tough-minded guy. He looks at things a lot differently. Devin is more of a compassionate-type of guy. They're total opposites. At times, that probably made things a little bit tougher. But could they co-exist? Sure, if they both work at it. But it takes both of them to do it."
When Hester was asked if he needed to sit down with Cutler to iron out their differences, there was silence for a couple of minutes. "If I was to be here, then yes," Hester said. "I think so."
The divide between started when Cutler arrived in 2009. Hester was slowed by injury, which kept the pair from developing chemistry at the start. Cutler's frustration mounted during a Thursday night loss at San Francisco that season, when he threw five interceptions and voiced his displeasure with Hester on the sideline.
Cutler doesn't have the reputation of being a compassionate teammate, and Hester is a player who needs to be coddled at times. Hester's admission that his heart wasn't totally into it this past season wouldn't thrill any quarterback.
Still, Drake and other coaches from the previous staff believe Hester can excel as a receiver. They point to consecutive performances against the Cowboys and Jaguars this past season during which he caught five passes for 87 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown at Dallas.